Ski structure



n. 1, 1946. D T. PH PPAR 2,392,098

SKI STRUCTURE Filed April 30, 1942 Patented Jan. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKI STRUCTURE Donald '1. Philippar, Sturgis, S. Dak.

Application April 30, 1942, Serial No. 441,186

10 Claims.

This invention relates to skis, and more particularly to a single ski structure upon which a rider can stand with both feet as distinguished from a conventional ski construction wherein a separate ski is provided for each foot.

An important object of the invention is to provide a ski of the character referred to so constructed as to facilitate the steering of the device by the user.

A further object is to provide a single ski structure portions of which are flexible to permit distortion thereof to facilitate the steering of the device.

A further object is to provide such a ski which is not only capable of being steered within reasonable limits because of its inherent characteristic of flexibility, but which is provided with portions or separate means engageable with the snow over which the device is traveling to provide for even greater latitude in steering the device.

A further object is to provide a ski structure the forward end of which is capable of being twisted to facilitate the steering of the device, and to be bent upwardly whereby the device is adapted to ride more smoothly over uneven snow surfaces. 7

A further object is to provide means under the control of each foot of the user for further facilitating the steering of the device, and which means may be simultaneously operated by the user to serve as a brake for bringing the device to a stop.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course .of the' following description.

In the drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention. In this showing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device,

' Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 2, parts being shown in eleva- Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 2, parts being broken away,

- Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear end of a modified form of the invention, and

v Figure '7 is a rear end view of the same.

' Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the numeral i0 designates the ski body as a whole formed of suitable wood or other material possessing a reasonable degree of electricity, as will -beapparent'. It also will become apparent that the present device utilizes a single ski body I0 to support the user rather than separate skis for the two feet of the user as is now the common practice, and the ski body is grooved longitudinally in its under side as at l0 as is customary in conventional skis. The body ill has its forward end ll turned upwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to facilitate the movement of the device over the surface of the snow, and the forward end of the body tapers substantially to a point l2. From this point the body increases in width approximately to the point l2, which is the point at which the ski body starts to curve upwardly toward its forward end. From the point l2 to its rear extremity the body has its bottom surface formed flat. Moreover, the width of the body at the point [2 is the maximum width for the forward portion of the ski, the width gradually decreasing, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to a point is spaced 2. short distance forwardly of the rear end of the ski body. From the point l3 the ski body has its edges diverging as at M approximately to the point 15, and the rear end portion i6 of'the body from the point If) to the rear extremity of the body, is of uniform width. The point l2 of thebody is at least as wide as the rear end portion l6 so as to permit it to break trail without having the rear end i6 drag its edges through the snow.

From a substantially central point ll (Figures 1 and 3) to its forward end, the ski body is thin ner than the portion rearwardly of the point l1. Thus the forward end portion of the ski possesses a substantially greater degree of flexibility and resiliency than the rear portion of the'ski, and this is of importance, as will become apparent.

A cross plate [8 extends transversely ofthe ski adjacent the center of the length thereof and may be riveted as at l9 or otherwise securedto the ski body. The ends of the cross plate i8 are preferably turned upwardly as at 20. The cross plate [8 extends a, substantial distance beyond the edges of the ski body and each end portion of the plate I8 is provided with a spring steel or similar plate 2 l, the forward end of which is fixed to the plate l8. Each spring plate 2| has its rear end 22 extending a substantial distance rearwardly of the cross plate l8 and sloping downwardly at somewhat of an angle, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The wearer stands upon the forward ends of the spring plates 2| with his heels resting on the ends 22 thereof, and such ends of the spring plates may be separately sprung downwardly to assist in steering the device, or may be sprung downwardly simultaneously to act. as

brakes, as will be described. In its normal position, the rear extremity of each spring plate end 22 is arranged above the horizontal plane of the bottom surface of the ski body so that it does not normally act as a brake when passing over the surface of the snow.

Each end of the cross plate i8 is provided with straps 22' and 23 adapted to bridge over the spring plate 2| and provided with a buckle 24 for connecting them together as clearly shown in Figure 4. The ends of the straps 22- and 23 may be connected to the cross plate l8 by loops 25 which may be riveted or welded to the plate l8. The straps 22 and 23 serve as straps to receive the feet of the user and extend over'the instep of the foot, as will be obvious.

The forward end of the ski body ID .is provided with a cross bar 26 riveted thereto" as at '21 or otherwise secured in position. This bar has. its ends extending laterally beyond the edges of the ski body and upwardy 'asfshown in Figures and '5, and the extremities of the bar "are formed as loops 28. A flexible loop 29. preferably a leather strap, has its ends secured to the loops 2B and is 'ofsuch length 'as to permit'it to'be grasped by the user in a standing or crouching position on the device, as will -be obvious.

In the 'forms of the invention shown in 'Figures '6'and' '7, a ski body 30- is employed which is almost identical-with the form of ski body previously described except that it is of uniform width throughout its length; rearwardly-of the pointed forwardend, 'the fiared-rear-end- 1-6 being eliminated. To providethe same draggingef feet as the diverting-"edges -14, the ski "body- 30 is provided witha plate -3-I"secured thereto as at 32, and having its forward edge 33 formed in substantially semi-circular shape. Theend portions of the plate '31 obviously extend beyond the edges of the ski body.

'T11e-operationof t'he form-of the invention shown in Figures 1 to-5 inclusive is as follows:

The user standsupon the spring plates 21', the forward end oithe 'foot. sbe'ing inserted inthe wardly projecting ends 22: of 'the spring plates. The strap 29 will be grasped inrbothhands, whereupon the. user -or rider is ready to-"start irorward. As is true in the use unconventional skis, the user may slide downinclines on the device and he will attain speeds. approximately equal. .to. those attained when wearing conventionalvskis. The present device,.however, is..far more practical for-use :by' :people who. are not highly skilled .in the. :useof conventional. skis and is far safer since conventional skis frequently becomecrossed or otherwise out of control :and throw the; wearerto the. ground with frequent painful-injuries. .The present device is subject. to much easier control. than is true of conventional skis, since it may be accurately controlled as to steering and may be brought to a. quick stop, when, desired.

When the. rider desires to turn,'he may pull on one end or the other of the strap '29 to twist the forward andmore resilient end of the ski body, and the ski will turn in the direction of the twist. 'While this will permit a gradual turn which frequently is all the rider desires. it will not provide as sharp a turn as maybedesired. under some conditions. When a sharper turn, is desired, the: ridermay lean in the direction of the:-=desi1',ed;turn, thus causing the corresponding edge of the-ski to tilt: down- 'straps 22" and "ZS-which act as stirrups. I he is heel-s of 'the useriwillrest lightly-upon the rearwardly. Under such condition the corresponding rearwardly diverging edge 14' would drag against the edge of the track made by the ski, thus tending to retard such edge of the ski and increase the sharpness of the turn in the same direction. If a still sharper turn is desired, the rider may bear relatively heavily with his heel upon the spring plate end 22 at the side toward which the turn is being made. This will eflect a still :rurther drag and "thus result Lin an even -further sharpness of thelturningmovement.

It will be apparent that the resiliency of the forward end of the ski is such as to permit it to. be pulled straight upwardly as well as to be twisted, and this is of importance in providing a smoothereaction of the device. When passing over relatively uneven snow, the rider may lean backwardly somewhat and exert an equal pull on both ends of the strap 29. This will eilect an upward flexing of the forward end of the ski body, in-which case the bottom surface of the ski will .be slightly curved- -upwardly from the point H to the point 12, this curveturebein'grin addition to the curvature forwardly -of the point 12. Thus the skier will beenabled to more easily slide over uneven surfaces with much less tendency for the forward end 0f the ski body to dig into the snow. The straps 29 are of importance at all times in the use of the-device :since they :provide assistance to th'e rider in balancing himself- The ski. body at thezpoim; l 2 is :at least as wide as the rear end l6. Thus in straight awayriding, the edges of theski :bodyadjacent the point l2 will break trail-for the ski,.1thus.:form1ng a track which; isatnleast'as-wide asithe rear end 16 of the-ski body-and thel'latteritherefore will not drag at its: edges. against the snow. The widened rearzend |6:-iSidBSlr3b1E:.-I10t only to.=assist .in steering the device but also to assist tin causing the ski to travel in a straight line, when desired. Without the flared edges 1 .and wider rear-end Grthere is: some tendency for "the ski to slide sideways.

When .it is-desired to retardthe-speed; 101': the device. .or to bring it to: a.-complete: stop... the rider will bear downwardly with both heelsron the ends 22 of thespringplatesythu quickly retarding both edges of. the; device, insteadcof one edge as in steering. Thu t rider and the device may be sloweddown or stopped. depending upon the downward .pressure exertedonthe ends 22 of the spring plates. I

They operation of the. form. of the deviceishown in'Figures. 6.and -7 lisidentical-with-that.previously described, the only difference-.bingtthat.theends of the plate ,3]. serve the same function as the diverging edges. IleitheL-end-ofthe, plate serving to engage the. snow :to. provide-a drag-atone side of'the ski. upontheiilting thereof. torthus ellifiect a dragging, ac'tiorilo. assistinsteering. the s r Thu the present. device provides a ski which may be readily and safely 'used'by novices. and affords all. of the sport and excitement ofconventional skis without'the LdanEBBinherent i-n;the. use

ment ofpartsmaybe.resortedutorwlthoutrdepd I .ing from the spirit-of the .inventionaorthe'scope of. the 'subioinedgelaims.

a. rigid cross member connected and flexible means having ends connected to the respective ends of said cross member-whereby the rider of the ski may effect upward movement of either end of said cross member'to twist the forward end of said body, or upward movement of both ends of said cross member to curve the forward end of said body straight upwardly toward it forward extremity.

2. A ski comprising an elongated relatively flat body having relatively flat top and bottom surfaces throughout the greater portion of its length with the forward extremity of said body curved upwardly, said body having its forward end portion of less thickness than the rear end portion thereof whereby such forward endportion will possess a greater degree of elasticity than said rear end portion, a cross member directly secured to the flat top surface of said body centrally of the length of said body having its ends extending substantially beyond the edges of said body and on which ends the rider is adapted to stand, and

means under the control of the operator for flexing the end of said body.

3. A ski comprising an elongated body having a relatively flat bottom surface throughout the greater portion of its length with the forward extremity of said body curved upwardly, said body having its forward end portion of less thickness than the rear end portion thereof whereby such forward end portion will possess a greater degree of elasticity than said rear end portion, a cross member directly secured to said body centrally of the length of said body having its ends extending substantially beyond the edges of said body and on which the rider is adapted to stand, and a flexible loop having mechanical connection at its ends with said body adjacent the forward end thereof at relatively widely spaced points whereby the rider may pull either end of said flexible loop to twist the forward end of said body, or both ends of said flexible loop to curve the forward end of said body upwardly toward its forward extremity.

4. LA ski comprising an elongated body having a relatively flat bottom surface throughout the greater portion of its length with the forward extremity of said body curved upwardly, said body having its forward end portion of less thickness than the rear end portion thereof whereby such forward end portion will possess a greater degree of elasticity than said rear end portion, a cross member centrally of the length of said body on which the rider is adapted to stand, and a flexible loop having mechanical connection at its ends with said body adjacent the forward end thereof at relatively widely spaced points whereby the rider may pull either end of said flexible loop to twist the forward end of said body, or both ends of said flexible loop to curve the forward end of said body upwardly toward its forward extremity, the rear end portion of said body having opposite laterally projecting portions for'facilitating the turning of said body by the rider upon lateral tilting movement of said body.

5. A ski comprising an elongated body having a relatively fiat bottom surface throughout the greater portion of its length with the forward extremity of said body curved upwardly, said body than the having its forward end portion of. less thickness rear end portion thereof whereby such "forward end portion will possess a greater degree of elasticity than said rear end portion, a cross member centrally of the length of said body on which the rider is adapted to stand, and a flexible loop having mechanical connection at its ends with said body adjacent the forward end thereof at relatively widely spaced points whereby the rider may pull either endof said flexible loop to twist the forward end-of said body, orboth ends of said flexible loop to curvethe forwardend of said bodyv upwardly toward its forward extremity, said body being tapered to decrease in widthfrom a point adjacent its forward end to a Point spaced from its rear end, the end portion of .saidbody rearwardly of said latter point being of' a width approximately equal to the width of said body at said first named point.

6. A ski comprising a unitary body of a material possessing an appreciable degree of resiliency, said body being elongated with a relatively flat bottom surface extending from a point adjacent the forward end of the body to the rear extremity thereof, the forward end portion of said body being of less thickness than the rear end portion whereby it possesses a greater degree of resiliency than said rear end portion, a crossbar carried by said body approximately centrally of the length thereof and extending beyond its lateral edges and on the end portions of which the rider is adapted to stand, a cross member carried by the said body adjacent the forward extremity thereof and projecting beyond its lateral edges, and a flexible element connected at its ends to the ends of said cross member and adapted to be grasped by the rider whereby either end of said cross member may be pulled upwardly to twist the forward end portion of said body, or both ends of said cross member may be pulled straight upwardly to curve the bottom surface of the forward end portion of said body upwardly toward its forward extremity.

7. A ski comprising a unitary body of a material possessing an appreciable degree of resiliency, said body being elongated with a relatively flat bottom surface extending from a point adjacent the forward end of the body to the rear extremity thereof, the forward end portion of said body being of less thickness than the rear end portion whereby it possesses a greater degree of resiliency than said rear end portion, a cross bar carried by said body approximately centrally of the length thereof and extending beyond its lateral edges and on the end portions of which the rider is adapted to stand, a relatively flat spring element projecting rearwardly from the end portions of said cross bar to be selectively or simultaneously depressed by the heel or heels of the rider, a cross member carried by said body adjacent the forward extremity thereof and projecting beyond its lateral edges, and a flexible element connected at its ends to the ends of said cross member and adapted to be grasped by the rider whereby either end of said cross member may be pulled upwardly to twist the forward end portion of said body, or both ends of said cross member may be pulled straight upwardly to curve the bottom surface of the forward end portion of said body upwardly toward its forward extremity.

8. A ski comprising a unitary body of a material possessing an appreciable degree of resiliency, said body being elongated with a relatively flat bottom surface extending from a point adjacent the forward end of the body to the rear extremity 

